Schneiderman To Sue EPA Over Clean Power Plan Repeal

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman speaks during a news conference in New York in 2016.

Seth Wenig
/ AP

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has announced he’ll go to court to block the Trump administration’s repeal of the Obama-era Clean Power Plan. The plan regulates carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants.

Schneiderman says he’ll lead a coalition of states defending the Clean Power Plan in federal court. If and when the Trump administration finalizes the repeal, he says he’ll seek a court order to put a stop to what he calls an irresponsible and illegal effort to turn back the clock on public health.

The Obama-era Clean Power Plan came about after a decade-long effort by several northeastern states, including New York and Connecticut. They were trying to stop carbon emissions originating from Midwestern coal-fired power plants from affecting their states. Scott Pruitt, as Oklahoma attorney general, challenged the rule and tied it up in court, stopping the limits from taking effect.

Now as Trump’s EPA administrator, Pruitt says he’s getting rid of the rule, claiming it exceeds federal law by setting emissions standards that power plants could not reasonably meet.